Catalytic lighting of illuminating-gas.



No.v 584,863. Patented Oct.' 22, 190|.

W. H. PORTER. CATALYTIC LIGHTING 0F 4I'LLUWHNATING GAS.

(Application led May 2B. 1896.) (N o M o d e l UNITED STATES EEICE.

PATENT CATALYTIC LIGHTING OF lLLUMlNATlNG-GAS.

SEEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 684,863, dated October22, 1901. Application filed May 28, 1896. Serial No. 593,455. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, WILLIAM H. PORTER, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Catalytic Lightingof Illuminating-Gas, of which the following is a specification. Myinvention relates to the catalytic light- 1o ing of illuminating-gaswhen turned on or otherwise allowed to flow from a gas burner or tip.

The object of my invention is to provide a substance which can be usedat or near the opening of an ordinary gas-burner tip and which will bycatalytic action ignite ordinary illuminating-gas and which substancewill retain its power to ignite gas at any time at ordinary temperaturesand in atmospheric air. 2o My invention consists in a substance havingthese qualities, as more particularly pointed out hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of the specication, I haveillustrated an V5 embodiment of my invention, in which- Figure l is anelevation of a gas-tip having the catalytic substance applied thereto.Fig. 2 is a section thereof, and Fig. 3 is a top plan View of the same.

In order to carry out my invention, in the present instance I make acoherentmasss distinguished from powder or a collection of loosegranules, of two or more ingredients, which mass on being exposed toordinary illuminating-gas in atmospheric air Will become catalyticallyheated to a point of incandescence, so that the gas will thereby beignited, and the mass will retain this power for repeated and indefiniteuse.

In the particular embodiment of my invention herein set forth andclaimed the substance used for igniting the gas by its own action in themanner set forth consists, essentially, of a coherent mass of porousmaterial of exceedingly fine porosity having in its pores platinum inthe state of platinumblack or equivalent material, whereby the latter isheld in so nely-divided a condition that its particles are preventedfrom coalesc- 5o ing. In order to provide such substance, I

use as one of the ingredients one or more catalytic metalsA-such asplatinum, palladium, dto-and another ingredient in the form of a salt orsalts of certain infusible oxids, l such as zirconium, aluminium, dto.This may 5 5 be conveniently used in connection with asbestos or otherfibrous or solid materia1,which will form a base or support for it andhold it in position with relation to the gas-tip.

In one particular embodiment of my inven- 6o tion I use platinum in theform of platinumblack, mixed With the oxid of zirconium in about theproportion of twenty-ve per cent. of platinum to seventy-five per cent.of zirconium oxid. To prepare this, the platinum in a state of solutionis mixed with the oxid of zirconium and the liquid is evaporated,leaving the platinum distributed throughout the mass. This is thenpreferably applied to' some incombustible substance, such as as- 7obestos or mineral wool, which forms a convenient holder or support forthe substance. The substance after it has been heated by lighting thegas passing through the tip on which it is applied consists of a mixtureof zirconium oxid and platinum-black, in which the latter is in sofinely-divided a condition that its particles are prevented fromcoalescing.

In using the substance in connection with 8o a burner or tip Ipreferably provide a shield y for it, and this shield may be so arrangedas to provide air-passages around or about the substance. p

Thus in the drawings A represents any burner or tip through which gaspasses, and B the substance for catalytically lighting the gas. This isusually attached to a base or support O, of non-combustible material,and is protected by a shield D. In the present in- 9o stance the shieldD has a band d surrounding the burner, and the shield extends upward andpartially around the tip, while it y is arranged so as to furnish anair-passage E between the support and shield. 9 5

What I claim herein as my invention is-f 1. A substance for igniting gasby its own action in the manner set forth consisting of a coherent massof porous material of exceedingly iine porosity having in its poresplatiroo num in the state of platinumb1ack, whereby the latter is heldin so finely-divided a condition that its particles are prevented fromcoalescing, substantially as described.

2. A catalytic substance consisting of platinum in the form ofplatinum-black and zirconium oxid, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM H. PORTER.

Witnesses:

ABNER MOKINLEY, EDWARD R. MEEK.

